Please read the descriptive material about the Model P1 - much of it applies to the P3, and the following text only addresses differences between the two models.

The fundamental difference between the P3, pictured above, and the P1 lies in external appearance. The P1 follows an "antique" or "chalice" design, from a time before the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe incorporated fancy trim and turnings. The antique design is very streamlined and to many eyes most attractive; it is also more simple to manufacture as there is neither a lot of complicated detail turning nor are there extra trim pieces on the drone sections.

However, many pipers - especially those playing with (or planning to play with) pipe bands - want what is today considered a more conventional-looking Highland pipe. This means a "modern" external design, incorporating (imitation) ivory trim and considerably more (and different) external decorative turnings. The Model P3 answers this need.

The P3 is machined (not molded) from the same incredibly tough material, Delrin, as the P1 and Dunbar's practice chanters. This material looks like Blackwood and accepts very fine detail when turned skillfully; the result is drop-dead gorgeous, especially with the very high-grade (and surprisingly expensive, by the way) material Dunbar uses as imitation ivory, which has a rich creamy color that looks just right. Below are two close-up photographs of detail on the P3.

Dunbar P3, tenor drone end, detail.

Dunbar P3, lower bass and tenor drone area, detail.

The P3 and the P1 are supplied with Dunbar's recently improved "Elite" chanter. This chanter is the result of extensive collaboration between the pipemakers at Dunbar and a number of world-class pipers. This excellent chanter is available by itself, and we've been providing a steady stream of them for use on pipes other than Dunbars. However, if you require a different chanter (for example to match a band's chanters), we can supply the pipe without a chanter, or (usually) with a chanter by another maker as needed.

The P3 and the P1 are the most popular models of Dunbar's line of synthetic pipes. There are others, as well as Dunbar's Blackwood pipes. We can provide any of these, as well as any combinations of features from differing models.